Bedtime Story
by DPRRluvJ13MM
Summary: 5's having trouble sleeping. Maybe a bedtime story from 2 can help.


**Bedtime Story**

2 found 5 in his room huddled in a tight ball on his bed. He was shaking violently.

"5!" 2 gasped.

He ran to his apprentice and seized his shoulders. 5 gasped at the contact and opened his single eye. The sight of 2 calmed him slightly but he still trembled.

"5, what is it? I heard you scream," 2 said.

5 took a deep breath and answered: "It's nothing…2 it's…it's nothing. Just a bad dream. The beast-I…"

2 wrapped his arms around 5 and held him tight. "It's alright, 5. You're safe."

5's arms snaked their way around his mentor's waist and he buried his face in 2's chest.

"2, I…"

"It's okay," 2 whispered.

5 sighed. He wondered how it was possible for 2 to so easily forget how to be afraid. Still, the tone in the older stitchpunk's voice set 5's mind at ease and he too forget how to be scared.

Once the mental image of the beast returned to him however, he tensed up. Gripping 2 tighter, 5 muttered: "Don't leave me."

2 sighed. "I won't." He gently rocked 5 back and forth and asked: "Is there anything I can do to help you fall asleep?"

5 thought for a while before answering: "Yes."

"What is it?" 2 asked looking 5 right in the eye.

5 was at a loss for words for a split second. 2's gaze tended to make him lose his train of thought. "Uh, could you…maybe…" He looked away from 2 for a moment before continuing: "…tell me a bedtime story?"

2's stitched eyebrows quirked. "A what?"

"A bedtime story. I read in one of the twins' books that humans told each other bedtime stories to help them get to sleep," 5 explained.

2 mused for a moment.

"It also said something about drinking warm milk but I have no idea what that is," 5 added laughing a little.

2 smirked. "Alright then."

5 laid back on his bed and 2 hopped onto the edge of it. As 5 rested his head on the piece of cloth he used as a pillow, 2 stared off into the distance.

"Now that you mention it, I think I have heard of these. Oh, how do they usually start? Ehm…" 2 thought hard. "Hmm…uhm…once upon a time…hmm…"

5 cocked his head to the side. "2?" he asked quietly.

"Heh. I don't know what kind of story to tell you," 2 admitted sheepishly.

5 pushed himself upright and crawled over to 2. He rested his head on 2's shoulder and wrapped his arms across 2's chest. His eye darted around the room as he contemplated a story idea. Suddenly, one came to him.

"Could you tell me the story of how we first met?"

2's eyebrows furrowed. Why would 5 want to hear a story about that? That was the day he had lost his eye. 2 didn't see how that would help him fall asleep.

"Why do you want to hear that story?" he asked.

"Because that's a really special day to me," 5 answered.

2 was still, if not even more confused.

5 gave a small laugh and smiled. "It's the day I first met you."

2 smiled and rested his hands on 5's. "Okay. I'll tell you that story, then."

5 grinned and lied back down. 2 leaned over and took 5's right hand in his. With his other hand he stroked the seam of the leather eye patch over what used to be 5's left eye.

"Alright. Once upon a time…" 2 paused as he and 5 laughed. Something about that sentence was oddly amusing. "…there was a rag doll named 5. He was very handsome."

"2 don't over exaggerate it," 5 said looking embarrassed.

"I'm not," 2 smiled.

"Yes you are. I'm not that great to look at," 5 said.

"I think you are," 2 said.

Still completely embarrassed, 5 ducked his head. "He was also very shy," 2 continued.

5 looked up at 2.

"One day, three other rag dolls, 3, 4, and 7 all found him…" 2 went on.

"I was hiding under a car. At least I think it was a car…or half of a car…" 5 reminisced.

2 pursed his lips. So far this didn't seem like it was going to help. Still, 5 seemed to want to hear the rest so 2 pressed on. "And 7 led him, 3, and 4 back to the group of rag dolls lead by 1."

5 cringed at the sound of 1's name. 2 decided to leave 1 out of the rest of the story.

"One of the rag dolls there was 2. And 2 was a raggedy old pile of fabric…" 2 joked.

"2 don't," 5 whined a little.

"Come on, you know it's true," 2 laughed.

"No, it's not," 5 said. "I think you're beautiful."

If 2 was capable of blushing, he would've. "Well, I think you're handsome…so there," he retorted lamely.

There was a short, awkward silence before 5 smirked. 2 couldn't help but smile. Even in the most awkward of situations they managed to feel comfortable with each other. 2 cupped 5's face in his hands and began caressing the side of his apprentice's face with his metal thumbs.

"Anyway, 5 looked frightened…" 2 continued.

"5 _was_ frightened," 5 admitted softly.

"Yes. So 2 tried to comfort him," 2 said.

"And he did. He made 5 very comfortable," 5 smiled.

2 rested his chin on his palm and look at 5, still caressing the un-eye patched side of his face. His smile faded as he went on: "But then, something terrible happened."

5's smile fell too. He knew what was coming.

"5 feel behind. He was left in the dust and…" 2 stopped. He couldn't' bring himself to continue.

"And then the machines came," 5 began to continue the story. "And a human ran up to it and threw fire at it and the machine…" He paused. The image of the human male being shot down by the giant machine played vividly in the back of his mind. It caused him to shudder. "And then…then 5 ran. There were-bombs and-and they shook the ground and-threw 5 in the air. And his face s-smashed into the ground and…" His hand instinctively went to his eye patch.

2's face twisted in pain. "5, wouldn't you rather hear a different story?"

5 stared at 2. "But what happens next is my favorite part."

It took him a moment but 2 understood what 5 was talking about. They exchanged tiny smiles before 2 continued the story:

"2 realized that 5 had fallen behind and went out to look for him. He found him lying on the ground…" He paused, sympathy written across his face. "2 knelt down and picked 5 up."

5 smiled. He wrapped an arm around 2's waist.

"Poor 5."

"He was okay though. Because 2 saved him," 5 explained.

"That's right," 2 smiled. "And then, 7 saved both of them from being crushed by a giant metal foot." 2 used his hand as an example of the metal foot coming down on them only to scoop 5 up by the waist and hug him close.

"And 2 kind of feel on 5," 5 pointed.

2 laughed sheepishly. "2 was sorry about that."

"I know he was," 5 laughed.

2 smiled and squeezed 5 as tightly as he could. A warm, comfortable feeling welled up inside of 5 and he closed his eye, letting it consume him.

After what felt like forever, 2 continued: "And then 2 and 7 carried 5 back into the helmet…"

"…and 5 looked up at 2…" 5 added.

2's head perked up. "Did he now?"

"Yeah."

"Wasn't he exhausted?"

"Yes but he wanted to see 2."

"And why's that?" 2 chuckled.

"Because 5 fell in love with 2."

An awkward silence hung in the air. 5 looked up at 2 who looked shocked. 5 didn't know whether it was because of how suddenly 5 had stated his feelings or because he just didn't know what to think of 5 anymore. 5 began to feel sick and looked away. As badly as he wanted the conversation to end, some invisible force was pushing the words right out of 5's mouth:

"You saved me. You made me feel safe. You came for me when no one else did. I thought I was going to die but then you came and I…" he paused when he met 2's gazed again. 2 still looked slightly shocked. "I just. I feel in love with you. I felt like I-I just-I felt like…like you would be someone I could count on…that I could talk to. Someone I wanted to be with all the time and…I guess I…I don't know but-I lo-," he remembered the story wasn't technically over yet. "_5_ loves _2_."

He closed his eye and twisted his face up. Even if 2 didn't feel the same way, 5 at least wanted 2 to know how he felt. It was better than hm never knowing. Suddenly, he felt something press against his lips. 5's eye opened to see 2 was kissing him. 5's eye closed again. For a moment, 5 couldn't think, he was confused. This meant 2 loved him back, right? In that instant, he didn't want to think about whether or not it was true, he just wanted to enjoy it.

Everything and anything disappeared as 5 emptied his mind of all knowledge other than the fact that 2 was kissing him. 'Why' was hardly important right now. The fact of the matter was 2 had chosen to break the boundary between them and that was good enough for 5.

As quickly as it happened, though, it stopped. 2's lips parted from 5's as the word: "Wait…" escaped from them.

His only eye opened to see 2 smiling down at him. 5 was surprised to see 2 looked slightly embarrassed. The kiss had happened rather quickly and both stitchpunks felt dizzy and unnerved. Finally, 2 spoke:

"A-and, it wasn't long after that that 2 realized he loved 5 back."

5's mouth formed the shape of an 'O'. Could 2 be serious?

"Really?" he asked a little above a whisper.

Looking deeply into his partner's eyes, 2 smiled and took 5's hand. "Yes."

5 practically leapt onto 2 and kissed him full on the lips. Never before had he felt so happy. When they parted, 5 asked: "Are you sure? I mean…really?"

"Yes," 2 grinned. "You're-_5_'s a wonderful person. I don't see why 2 wouldn't love him. He'd be crazy if he didn't."

They both laughed. Talking in third person was beginning to feel weird so they decided to end the story:

"And so, all the rag dolls wound up living in an old cathedral and 2 and 5 spent most of their time with each other. They grew closer and closer…" 5 leaned upward and kissed 2, pausing the story momentarily. "…and one night, 2 told 5 the story of how they met. The end."

"2? Will you stay with me tonight?" 5 asked.

"Sure I will," 2 said giving 5 a small kiss on the forehead.

They lied down. 5 rested his head on 2's chest leaving the cloth pillow open for 2's head to rest on.

"Goodnight, 5," 2 said.

"Thanks for the story," 5 thanked.

2 smiled. "You're welcome."

"I love you."

"And I love you."

They wrapped their arms tightly around each other and almost instantly feel asleep. Needless to say 5 didn't have a single nightmare that whole night.

**THE END**

_**This one's shorter than my other two2x5 stories but oh well. The idea came to me last Saturday night and I started typing it Sunday morning (or afternoon but who really needs specifics? XD) Then I just finished today. Man these plot bunnies are shooting out the **__**Wa-ZOO!**__**-raise your hand if that totally killed the mood of this fanfic- XD Well, I guess this one could've been better, but I think it turned out cute. ^^ Enjoy.**_

_**-Alex**_


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